Improved apparatus for softening the gum of adhesive labels



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN WILDER, OF NORTH SOITUATE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SOFTENlNG THE GUM 0F ADHESIVE LABELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,5 14, dated February 21, 1865.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WIEDER, of North Scituate, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new. and useful apparatus for liquefying or rendering adhesive the cement of gummed labels or stamps to be applied to goods or articles; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specication, andv represented in the accompanying drawing, which denotes a vertical section of such apparatus, and represents a porous or absorbent tablet, or a sheet of cloth, or the equivalent thereof, and a means of generating steam of vapor, so arranged together that the steam or Vapor produced may be received against and be absorbed by'such absorbent tablet.

My invention is particularly intended for the use of persons when employed in pasting or cementing gummed tickets or labels on the heads of spools of thread, such invention rendering unnecessary the usual process of wetting the gum of the label by means of the tongue of the applicant.

In factories engaged in the manufacture of spool-cotton it is common to employ several persons, oftentimes a dozen or more, for the sole purpose'of wetting by their tongues the gummed labels or stamps, and sticking them on the spools. This practice is one highly prejudicial to the health of the operative, not only on account of the tax which it imposes on their salivary glands, but by reason that more or less of the gum or cement, by adhesion to the tongue, is afterward swallowed or taken into the stomachs of the persons, and there is frequently washed or licked from the label a coloring matter more or less poisonous or deletereous.

In carrying out my invention I make use of ing such water, the whole being placed within a suitable case, frame, or stand, O. With the said means of vaporizing the water I makeuse of a porous or absorbent cover or tablet, D, made of woolen or other proper cloth or material. Instead of being made of woolen cloth, the tablet may be composed of very finely woven wire, or what is termed wiregauze,7 or it may be a foraminous plate; but neither of these latter constructions of it will afford results so advantageous as will a simple piece of woolen cloth extending directly over the open mouth or top of the water-vessel A.

On evaporating the water in the vessel A the steam produced will be .absorbed by the tablet and will pass into and through it. The gummed labels are to be laid on the tablet with their gum med surfaces downward, so that the steam or vapor passing through the tablet may strike directly against the gum on such labels.l The gum will be soon rendered tacky, and owing to the furze or nap ofthe cloth, will be prevented from being abstracted to any serious extent by the cloth.

One person may be employed to put the labels on the tablet, and another to remove them therefrom and apply them to the spools or packages or'other articles. In this way all licking or wetting of the labels by the tongue of the operative, and the consequent evils thereof, may be avoided.

I claim as my invention- The apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose described.

BENJAMIN VILDER.

Vitnesses:

B. H. EDDY, F. I. HALE, J r. 

